Coaster and track therefor



April 5, 1932. H. w. WALLIN COA-STER AND TRACK THEREFOR Filed May 13,1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 5, 1932. H. w. wALLlN u COASTER AND TRACKTHEREFOR Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lill(- Patented Apr. 5,y'1932 UNITED STATES HARRY W. WALLIN, OF DES MOINES, IOWA COASTER ANDTRACK THEREFOR Application le May 13, 1931. Serial No. 537,079.

15 to prevent displacement of the coaster from` the track as it travelsthereover.

A further object is to provide an economically manufactured track madeot a strip of sheet metal and corrugated to give it suf- 2g licientstrength so that it will support considerable weight even when thesections thereof are as long as three or four feet, whereby the sectionscan be supported at their joints by ties.

A further object is to provide a corrugated track with upwardly openinggrooves to receive the supporting wheels of the coaster whereby lateralmovement of the coaster with respect to the track is prevented, and topro- 3U vide the auxiliary wheels of the coaster mounted on bracketswhich extend downwardly from the base of the coaster outside of thetrack.

Still a further object is to provide a start .5 ing stand for thecoaster with one end of the track connected therewith and to provide onthe starting stand, guide means to engage the auxiliary wheels of thecoaster to guide the coaster into a position of proper engageio nientwith the track.

A further object is to provide brake means A further object is toprovide ties for the track which are so connected with the track thatthey do not interfere with the auxiliary wheels of the coaster whichengage the under surface of the track.

Vith these and other objects in View my inventionconsists in theconstruction7 arrangement and combination of the various parts ofmydevice, whereby the objects content plated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully sct forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated `in the`accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis a side elevation of a coaster and track therefor embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line 2? of Figure l showing a planview of the starting stand.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the lino 3-3 of Figure l showing thetrack in section and a front elevation of the starting` stand.`

Figure 4; is a plan view of the coaster.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1showing the coaction of the coaster with the track and with the startingguides on the starting stand.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a portion of the track and a tie therefor.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 6illustrating part of the joint between sections of the track.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 8-8 ofFigure 6showing another portion of the oint.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of adjacent ends of two sections of thetrack showing them separated.

Figure l() is an enlarged sectional view on the line 10-10 of Figure 4,showing the brake mechanism and its engagement with the starting lugwhen the coaster is on the starting stand; and

Figure 1l is a perspective view of the brake leverl and brake shoe.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference character A toindicate a coaster and B to indicate the track therefor. The coaster Aconsists of a base 10, suitably reinforced by a board l2 andhaving aseat back 14. At the front of the coaster A I provide a heel rest member16 and spaced from the front end, I provide hand holds 18 for theconvenience of the user when riding on the coaster.

Downwardly extending brackets 19 are secured to theboard 12 and supportaxles; 20 and stub shafts 22. Supporting wheels 24, pref'- erably ofball bearing construction with composition rims, are rotatably mountedon each shaft 20. Auxiliary wheels 26, also preferably of ball bearingconstructiom are mounted on the stub shafts 22.

The track B is made of sheet metal which is longitudinally corrugated toprovide a central downwardly opening groove 28 and a pair ofupwardlyope-ning grooves on opposite sidesthereof. The edge portions of thetrack B', as indicated at 32, may be made of any desired shape and onthe drawings they are shown as outwardly extending iianges. Thesupporting wheels 24 are adapted to coact with the upwardly openinggrooves. 3G

and the auxiliary wheels 26 are adapted tocoact with the under surfacesofl the flanges 32.

joint is provided in the grooves 28 and 30l and a butt joint is providedfor the anges 32. Thus the upper surfaces of the grooves` 30 are smoothat the joint between the sections of the track for the supporting wheels24 and the under surfaces o-f the ianges 32 are sn'iooth for theauxiliarywheels26.

A tie 34, 34a; or 345, as. the case may be, is provided foreach jointbetween the sections of' the track B. The ties. 34, 34a and 34?) arecorrugated in cross section and each one has av connector member 36'atits center connected. withy the groovel 28 bybolts 38; The tie 34 isstraight transversely of they trackB, while the ties 34a andl 345 areV--shaped for raising the portion of the track with which they connectfor thus providing a track of irregularlongitudinal conto-ur. 11i-Figure1 the inelines of thel track arev proportionately steep, inasmuch as theties are spaced close togetherto` conserve space on the drawings.k

while as a matter of fact in actual practice they could be considerablyfarther apart so that the inclines of the track Bvwould be lesstherefor, 1 provide astarting standV C. The

stand C may be connected with the ties 34, 34a and 345 by a tie rod 44.The starting stand C has a top 46 with which one end of the track B isconnected, a connector block 48 being provided to space the track abovethe top 46.

On the top 46 I provide a starting guide 50 which is` merely anupstanding flange with which the auxiliary wheels 26 may coact forguiding the coaster to the proper position for coacton of the wheelsthereof with the track, as will be obvious from an inspection of Figure5. I

On the track B 1 provide a starting lug 52. On the coaster A provide abrake mechanism comprising a brake lever 54 pivoted at 56 and a brakeshoe 58.v The brake shoe 58 is. of forked construction as shown inFigure 11 so that the ends 58a thereof may straddle the groove 28 andare positioned for engagement withthe grooves 30 when the brake lever 54is` swung on the pivot 56. A slot 60 is provided in the base 10 for thebrake lever 54 to extend through and a spring 62 coacts with the brakeshoe 58 to normally engage the brake lever 54 with the front end of theslot 60. Thus the brake will remain in normally non-braking position` asshown in Figure 10, butA the lever 54 may be swung rearwardly forswinging the ends 58a of the brake shoe against the track B.

Vhenthe coaster A is on thestarting stand C a forward projection 585 o-fthe brake shoe 58 engages the starting lug 52 so that the coaster cannotbe started to travel on the track Br except when the brake lever 54 ismoved slightly toward braking position as shownl by dotted lines-inFigure-A10. vWhen' in the dotted line position, the portion 58?) of thebrake shoe will clear the lug 52 and the coaster A may then proceed totravel on the track B. Since the brake shoe 58 is forked', the arms 58athereof will clearthe starting lug 52 when the brake is in the dottedline position shown in Figure 10.

From the foregoing description it willv be obvious that I have provided'a coaster and track therefor which are of simple construction so that,from a manufacturing standpoint, they can be economically made and sold.It is safe for small children to play with, the brake being veryeffective to quickly stop the coaster whenever desired. The track B canbe made as long and have as many humps as desired. The track B can bemade of sheet metal and when corrugated in a. manner similar to thatshown on the drawings, is sufciently strong to support one hundred andfifty or two hundred pounds on the coaster A. lVith slightly largerdimensions the device can be used in an amusement park and the track Bcan be arranged A for aligning the coaster with the t "ack when thecoaster is placed on the starting stand C. lhe starting lug 52 providesa safety feature inasmuch as the coaster' cannot proceed to travel onthe track B except when the rider is ready whereupon he must move thebrake lever 54 rearwardly before the coaster can be unlocked from thestarting lug 52.

flome changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modiliedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may bereasonably included within their scope.

l claim as my invention:

l. ln a device of 'the class described, a coaster, a track therefor,said coaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extendingdownwardly therefrom, said track being longitudinally corrugated andwheels on said brackets to coact with uviwardly opening grooves of saidcorrugated track.

Q. ln a. device of the class described, a coaster, a track therefor,said coaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extendingdownwardly therefrom, said track being longitudinally corrugated,supporting wheels en said brackets to coact with upwardly openinggrooves of said corrugated track and auiziliary wheels thereon coactingwith the under surface of d track.

3. ln a device of the class described, a coaster. a track therefor, saidcoaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extending` downwardlytherefrom. said track being` longitudinally corrugated with a centrallylocated, downwardly opening groove, an upwardly opening groove on eachside thereof and ede'e 'portions along the outer sides of said u vardlyopening groove, said coaster haw'ing supporting.;I wheels on thebrackets thereof to coact with said upwardly opening grooves.

In a device of the class described, a coaster. a track therefor, saidcoaster comprising a base. brackets thereon and extending downwardlytherefrom, said track being longitudinally corrugated with a centrallylocated, downwardly opening groove. an upwardly opening` groove on eachside thereof and edge portions along the outer sides of said upwardlyopening grooves. said coaster having supporting` wheels on the bracketsthereof to coact with said upwardly opening` grooves, and auxiliarywheels coactino' with said edge portions. said auxiliary wheels beingcarried by portions of said brackets located outside of said edgeportions of said track.

5. In a device of the class described, a coaster, a track therefor, saidcoaster coinprising a base, brackets thereon and extending downwardlytherefrom, wheels on said brackets to coact with said track, said trackbeing longitudinally corrugated and comprised of sections, an end of onesection having an offset `portieri overlapping' the end of an adjacentsection whereby a smooth surface is provided at the joints between saidsections for said wheels.

G. In a device of the class described, a coaster, a track therefor, saidcoaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extending downwardlytherefrom, wheels on said ln'aekets to coact with the top and bottom ofsaid track, said track being longitudinally corrugated and comprisingsections, an end of one section having` an offset portion overlappingthe adjacent end of another section whereby a smooth upper surface isprovided for some of said wheels, a portion of the end of one sectionbeing cut away to provide a butt joint with the end of the adjacentsection, whereby a smooth under surface is pro-vided for others of saidwheels.

7. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster, a tracktherefor, a starting stand for said coaster, one end ofsaid track beingconnected therewith, said track extending downwardly at an inclinetherefrom. and then outwardly therefrom and ties for said tracktransversely arranged relative thereto and he ving opstanding connectingmeans at their centers with which said track is connected.

8. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster, a tracktherefor, a starting stand for said coaster, one end of said track beingconnected therewith, said track extending downwardly at an inclinetherefrom and then outwardly therefrom, ties for said track and a tierod connecting said starting stand with said ties.

9. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster', a tracktherefor, ties for said track comprising transversely arranged tiemembers of corrugated cross section having opstanding, centrally locatedconnectingmeans attached thereto and to said track.

10. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster, a tracktherefor, a starting stand for said coaster, one end of said track beingconnected therewith. said track extenddownwardly at an incline therefromand then outwardly therefrom, and starting guides on said starting standto engage the wheels of said coaster and guide them to proper positionof engagement with said track.

l1, In a device of the class described, a cometer, a track therefor,said coaster having supporting and auxiliary wheels engaging the top andbottom surfaces of said track, a starting stand for said coaster, saidtrack having one end connected therewith and spaced thereabove, andstarting guides on said starting stand aligned with said track andengaging the auxiliary wheels of said coaster to guide the coastertoward proper engagement with the track for'travel thereon. l2. In adevice of the classdescribed, a *A coaster, a starting stand therefor, atrack for r"said coaster, said coaster having Wheels for coaction Withsaid track, said track having one end connected with said startingstand, pivoted brake means on said coaster and a starting lng normallyengaged by said brake means when on said starting stand, said brakemeans When moved toward braking position effecting disengagement fromsaid starting lug whereby. said coaster may proceed to travel on saidtrack.

I5? 13. In a device of the class described, a coaster, a starting standtherefor, a track for said coaster, said coaster having wheels forcoaction with said track, said track having one end connected with saidstarting stand,

a starting lug, means on said coaster normal- 1y engaging said startinglug whereby said coaster When on said starting stand is prevented fromtraveling on said track, and

manually operated mechanism for disengagff ing said means from saidstarting` lug.

HARRY W. VVALLIN.

